Swiftly
by groffcheles
Summary: A bunch of one shots to Taylor Swift's songs. Troyella, Troypay, Gabriella centered, and Sharpay centered. Everything you could ask for!
1. Tim McGraw

**A/N: Me again. Yeah, I'm writing a lot of stories lately, but it's summer and I have a lot of free time. So this is 11 one shot song fics. that I'm writing all to Taylor Swift songs. Some will be Troypay, others Troyella. Wait and see[Songs are in italics. Flashbacks are noted by FLASHBACK at the beginning and END FLASHBACK at the end.**

Tim McGraw

_He said the way my blue eyes shined,  
put those Georgia stars to shame that night  
I said "That's a lie" _

Everyone knew Troy and I as East High's fairy tale couple. We made everyone believe it. They all thought we were in love. We acted it too.

**FLASHBACK**

Troy and Gabriella lay on the wet grass in the park. It was night time and the stars were shining brighter than ever. Gabriella turned her head to face Troy and he did the same to her.

"You're so beautiful," Troy said. Gabriella blushed. "The way your eyes shine even puts the stars to shame."

"That's a lie," Gabriella replied, simply. Troy just shook his head and went back to staring at the stars.

**END FLASHBACK**

_Just a boy in a Chevy truck,  
That had a tendency of getting stuck,  
On back roads at night  
And I was right there beside him all summer long  
And then the time we woke up to find that summer gone _

Troy and I got along great. We went to parties together, took long walks, and sometimes just went on long drives. Who knew the perfect summer could end so quickly?

**FLASHBACK**

"UGGH!" Troy cried out for the second time that night. Gabriella and Troy were out for one last drive on the last day of summer vacation. It just so happens, Troy's truck kept getting stuck in the mud. They were driving down a dirt road, trying to get to a "beautiful" (as Troy had called it) park. It wasn't working too well.

"Don't you have 4 wheel drive or something?" Gabby asked, looking at him. She didn't want to be stranded there forever, but being next to Troy helped a little. Troy shook his head and Gabriella groaned.

"Don't worry, Gabs. We can get it out," he said and hopped out of the massive truck. "Stay in here and turn the truck on when I tell you too." Gabriella slid into the driver's seat and nodded.

After a while, Troy gave Gabby the thumbs up and she turned the key in the ignition. After a few hums from the engine, the truck began to run again. Gabriella motioned for Troy to get back into the truck and there they were. Driving along a dirt road together again.

**END FLASHBACK**

That summer ended with tears and a few phone calls. Troy and I broke up, but neither of us were strong enough to move on.

_But when you think Tim McGraw,  
I hope you think my favorite song  
The one we danced to all night long  
The moon like a spotlight on the lake  
When you think happiness,  
I hope you think "That little black dress"  
Think of my head on your chest,  
And my old faded blue jeans  
When you think Tim McGraw,  
I hope you think of me _

I hope Troy still remembers me. It's been a while since we've seen each other, we both go to different colleges. I know I can't forget what we had.

**FLASHBACK**

Troy and Gabriella sat at the lake's edge, water lapping at their bare feet. Beside Troy, a radio played a country station. They could barely hear the music, they were so lost in each other's eyes. After a moment of the DJ talking about the weather for the next few days, a song came on.

"It's my favorite song!" Gabriella said, a playful smile on her face. She reached for the radio and turned up the volume a few notches.

"Where the Green Grass Grows by Tim McGraw," Troy answered. He had learned the song quickly, after finding out it was his girl friend's favorite.

"Let's dance," Gabriella said, a smile lighting up her face. She stood up and dusted some dirt off of her jeans. Troy stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist. Gabriella put her arms around his neck and rested her head on Troy's chest. It seemed perfection to both of them. A great song playing, the reflection of the moon shining brightly on the lake, and holding each other.

**END FLASHBACK**

Every time I hear that song, I smile. I can almost picture the time Troy and I danced together. It didn't last long enough, we were so happy. I miss that.

_September saw a month of tears,  
I'm thanking God that you weren't here,  
To see me like that _

_But in a box beneath my bed,  
Is a letter that you never read,   
three summers back  
It's hard not to find it all a little  
bitter sweet,  
and looking back on all of that, it's nice to believe_

So after the summer we broke up, I basically spent September crying. I shied away from everyone. Taylor tried to find me someone else, but I never found anyone as important to me as Troy.

**FLASHBACK**_  
_Gabriella sat on her bed, kicking her feet slowly and biting her lip. All of a sudden, her feet hit a box. She got down on her knees and pulled out the plastic container. Inside, she found letters. Lots of them. Some were addressed to her, some addressed to Troy. One, she found, was unopened. The handwriting was her penmanship, so it must have been one Troy never bothered to read. She scanned the words and found tears trying to fall out of her eyes.

The letter read;

Troy,

I was wondering and thinking. Ever since we've been over, I've been doing that a lot. Do you miss me as much as I miss you? It's hard to believe there's no more us. Tay keeps trying to hook me up with someone, but it never works out. They always are missing something you had. Well, I'm sure you still have everything you did. You were always so sweet to me. I just have one question. What happened?

Yours forever,

Gabriella

By the time she was finished reading it, tears made their way down her face. She couldn't believe he never read that. Maybe he wasn't everything she asked for.

**END FLASHBACK**

I really was his forever. I still am. It's like he put me under a spell. We haven't seen each other in almost 5 years, and I still miss him. I still love him. If only he would call. If only I knew he semi-remembered me.

_When you think Tim McGraw,  
I hope you think my favorite song   
The one we danced to all night long  
The moon like a spotlight on the lake  
When you think happiness,  
I hope you think "That little black dress"  
Think of my head on your chest,  
And my old faded blue jeans  
When you think Tim McGraw,  
I hope you think of me_

**FLASHBACK**

"Come on inside, Gabby." Troy and Gabriella had just gotten back from Taylor's birthday party. Gabriella wore a short black dress with sequins lining the halter top part and Troy was dressed in blue jeans and a tight red shirt. Gabriella shrugged and followed Troy into his house. It was very much like her own. Two stories, not too fancy.

"Mind if I change?" Gabby asked after a tour of his house. "This dress isn't the most comfortable thing in the world."

"It is the most beautiful," Troy replied with a smile. "But sure." He lead her up to his room and tossed her some faded blue jeans and a basketball jersey with "BOLTON 23" written on the back.

"Thanks," Gabriella said with a smile. She walked into the bathroom and changed into the clothes she was given. Without thinking, Gabriella tossed her dress into a laundry basket.

"How do I look?" Gabriella asked Troy, after stepping out of the bathroom.

"Absolutely beautiful," her boy friend answered as he wrapped his arms around her. She lay her head on his chest and wished she never had to leave that position.

**END FLASHBACK**

He still has that dress. Just like he still has my heart. I wonder if he's kept my dress... I guess it doesn't matter now. It's over. Every thing's over with him and me.

_And I'm back for the first time since then  
I'm standing on your street,  
And there's a letter left on your doorstep,  
And the first thing that you'll read _

I tried to talk to you the other day. But you weren't home. I thought everyone in college went home fro the holidays.

**FLASHBACK**

Gabriella walked up to Troy's old house and rung the door bell. She nervously bit her lip. Gabby had no speech planned, just a letter in her hand. Lauren Bolton opened the door. As soon as she saw Gabriella, her face broke into a smile.

"Gabriella, my dear! It's been forever!" She gave a big bear hug to Gabby who welcomed it with open arms. She nodded.

"Is Troy home?" she asked. Gabriella knew it was a little rude to ask that right off the bat, but she needed him to read this not.

"No, he's not. I'm sorry, honey. Can I pass on a message?"

"No thanks, Mrs. Bolton. Just.. please give him this for me." Gabriella handed her the envelope with a letter included inside. Lauren smiled.

"Of course."

"Well I better get going. Maybe I'll see you soon, Mrs. Bolton."

"Maybe, dear... Maybe..." Lauren shut the door and Gabriella heard her footsteps running up the stairs. She sighed deeply and made her way back home.

At least she tried.

**END FLASHBACK**

"_Is "When you think Tim McGraw,  
"I hope you think my favorite song"  
Someday you'll turn your radio on,  
I hope it takes you back to that place  
When you think happiness,  
I hope you think "That little black dress"  
Think of my head on your chest,  
And my old faded blue jeans  
When you think Tim McGraw,  
I hope you think of me  
Oh, think of me,   
Hmm Hmm  
He said the way my blue eyes shined,  
put those Georgia stars to shame that night  
I said "That's a lie""_

Gabriella Montez stood on stage at her old high school. She was asked by the drama teacher to stop by and show the new kids what a good singer sounded like. After belting out her feelings in front of small kids, she smiled. It felt better to get everything out. "Maybe I really am over him... Maybe Troy Bolton is nothing more than a distant memory now... Or, at least, I wish he was..." Gabriella thought to herself as she curtsied to the crowd and ran backstage.

"Gabriella? It's been a while..." She tured around to find a shaggy haired boy standing behind her.

"Troy?" Gabriella felt her breath being taken away from her. It was like East High all over again.

_**The end.**_

**A/N: I know, I know. You can all kill me for ending the story like that. And it is a one shot. It will stay that way. But, don't worry! There's more to come. : ). Review, and the rest will come faster. I do not own HSM or the song Tim McGraw by Taylor Swift.**


	2. Picture to Burn

**A/N: Let me start off by saying I'm very disappointed at the number of reviews. I know I'm not that bad of a writer. So it really only take a couple of seconds to hit the "go" button and type "update", at least. I'm hoping for better luck this time. Here's the next one shot. I'm only putting this up because I'm bored. Normally, this number of reviews wouldn't persuade me to post. Anyway, I'm done with my rant. Here we go.**

Picture to Burn

_State the obvious,  
I didn't get my perfect fantasy  
I realize you love yourself more than you could ever love me  
So go and tell your friends that I'm obsessive and crazy  
That's fine; I'll tell mine you're gay  
And by the way..._

Troy and I were a couple once. I know, I know. "The ice queen and the basketball star? In love?" It's true. I wasn't the ice queen a while ago. Troy didn't play basketball. We were just two normal teenagers trying to start high school together. In some ways, I'm glad it ended. I guess we weren't perfect for each other. Troy began to fall more in love with basketball than with me. Everyone only calls me an ice queen now because of his stupid rumors. All of his basketball buddies think I'm crazy... I'm not sure they even know that Troy loved me once. I tried to spread rumors about him too. No one believed me.

_I hate that  
stupid old pickup truck  
You never let me drive  
You're a redneck heartbreak  
Who's really bad at lying  
So watch me strike a match  
On all my wasted time  
As far as I'm concerned you're  
Just another picture to burn_

Well, let me tell you, Troy wasn't as perfect as he seemed. Sometimes, he got on my last nerve.

**FLASHBACK**

"Troyyy! Pretty please let me drive?" Sharpay begged her boy friend to let her drive his truck for the millionth time. For the millionth time, Troy replied,

"No, Pay." He shook his head. "It's brand new. I don't want you to ruin it." Sharpay sighed and hopped in the passenger's seat, unsatisfied.

**END FLASHBACK**

And that's pretty much how it went. He never let me drive his truck, he never let me wear his clothes. He was pretty selfish. You don't even know how much I hate that stupid truck now. I never really liked it, actually. I was just tired of Troy being in control of me.

_There's no time for tears,  
I'm just sitting here  
planning my revenge  
There's nothing stopping me  
From going out with all of your best friends  
And if you come around saying sorry to me  
My daddy's gonna show you how sorry you'll be_

I'm sick of crying over that boy. He's done me enough trouble as it is. I can't spend my extra time wasting tears on his selfish self. But... I'm a little confused. I still kinda love him. Somewhere in my heart, I can't forget my first love. He did do many stupid things to me, though. I want to plan revenge, but it's harder than it seems. I tried dating Zeke, you didn't care. You have Gabriella now. I give up. I'm done with you.

_'cause I hate that  
stupid old pickup truck  
You never let me drive  
You're a redneck heartbreak  
Who's really bad at lying  
So watch me strike a match  
On all my wasted time  
As far as I'm concerned you're  
Just another picture to burn_

**FLASHBACK:**_  
_"Troy... do you love me?" Sharpay asked. Her and her boy friend were sitting side by side on Sharpay's living room couch watching a movie. Neither of them were paying much attention, they were lost in each other's eyes.

"Do _you_ love _me_?" Troy responded.

"I asked you first!" Sharpay pouted.

"Fine. Yeah. I... love you, Pay," Troy said, stuttering at a few parts.

"I love you too."

**END FLASHBACK**

Troy Bolton never loved me. I don't know how or why I believed him. He was a horrible lier. I wish he would've dumped me sooner, so I wouldn't have such a broken heart.

_If you're missing me,  
You'd better keep it to yourself  
Cause coming back around here  
Would be bad for your health... _

Troy, if you're out there, I will find you. I will get revenge on the only boy who ever broke my heart. I'm done being broken because of him.

_I really really I hate that  
stupid old pickup truck  
You never let me drive  
You're a redneck heartbreak  
Who's really bad at lying  
So watch me strike a match  
On all my wasted time  
As far as I'm concerned you're  
Just another picture to burn_

Sharpay closed her diary and pulled a box out from under her bed. Inside was pictures of her and Troy.

"We look so happy," she sneered. She brought the box downstairs to her fireplace. One by one, Sharpay tossed the pictures into the fire. She watched with a smile on her face and the flames licked up the photos so there was nothing left but ashes.

"Goodbye Troy Bolton. Goodbye forever."

**A/N: So there you have it. One shot number two. I'm serious about the review thing. Just click the go button and type a few words. That's all. **


	3. Teardrops on my Guitar

**A/N: Well, my number of reviews went up, but not by much. So... Yeah. Review, pleaseee. Thanks. : ). Oh and the song would make more sense if it said Troy instead of Drew, but that's the way it is. So we deal. : )**

Teardrops On My Guitar

_Drew looks at me,  
I fake a smile so he won't see,  
that I want, and I'm needing  
everything that we should be_

Sharpay Evans walked through the East High halls, heels clacking every step of the way. She reached her locker and began looking fer her books. She glanced around to see if her brother could be found. Still nothing. But Sharpay's eyes did land on a certain basketball player. Yep. Troy Bolton. He smiled at her, and Sharpay smiled back. Only around Troy did the ice queen smile. It was all fake. It broke her every time she would see Troy with Gabriella. Around them, her smiles were all fake.

_I'll bet she's beautiful,  
that girl he talks about,  
and she's got everything that I have to live without._

Once Troy reached his locker, right next to Sharpay's, he began to talk to her.

"So... Shar... have you seen Gabriella today?" he asked. Sharpay wanted to frown so badly, but she managed to keep up her fake smile. It should be her he was talking about.

"No... No I haven't," she answered shaking her head.

"Oh," Troy answered, head in his locker, searching for books.

_Drew talks to me,  
I laugh cause its so damn funny,  
That I can't even see  
anyone when he's with me  
He says he's so in love,  
he's finally got it right  
I wonder if he knows hes all I think about at night._

"Well, if you see Gabriella, let me know." With that, Troy walked away. Sharpay watched every step he took. Once he was out of sight, she went back to trying to find her books. Sharpay laughed to herself and shook her head. 'How can he not tell that I love him?' she thought to herself. After finding her book, Sharpay headed off to homeroom. It seemed as though she'd have to face today without Ryan.

_He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar  
the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star  
hes the song in the car I keep singing don't know why I do._

Now, Sharpay was a gorgeous girl. Blond, perfect chocolate colored eyes, but she refused to let anyone close to her. She know she'd have a bunch of guys after her, but never the one she wanted. The one who forced the school to "break free". Well, there was Zeke. He dated Sharpay for a while. But, at that time, Sharpay wasn't sure of her feelings for Troy. Now she was. She knew she wanted him. She knew she needed him.

_Drew walks by me,  
can he tell that I can't breathe?  
and there he goes so perfectly  
the kind of flawless I wish I could be._

A shoulder brushed against Sharpay's as she was walking to her first class. She was about to yell at the person, but then she realized it was none other than Troy. All of a sudden the words she was going to say got caught in her throat. She was caught completely breathless, as she always was around him.

"Sorry, Sharpay," he mumbled, and continued on his way. 'God, he's so perfect,' Sharpay thought.

_She'd better hold him tight  
give him all her love  
look in those beautiful eyes  
and know she's lucky cause_

Sharpay took her seat in homeroom diagonally behind Troy and sighed. Gabriella had sat down next to her... her... boy friend. Gabriella was giggling and Troy had a playful sparkle in his eyes. Sharpay closed her eyes briefly, to imagine it was her sitting next to Troy. To pretend it was her he loved, not Gabby. Once Sharpay's eyes were open again, the class had started. All she could focus on was how lucky Gabriella was. And how much Sharpay wished she could be her.

_He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar  
the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star  
he's the song in the car I keep singing don't know why I do_

The rest of the day went normally. Troy flirted with Gabriella, Sharpay wished she was her. When the last bell rang, Sharpay was exited to get away from the lovey dovey boy friend and girl friend. She hopped in her pink convertible and drove home without saying goodbye to anyone.

_So I drive home alone  
as I turn out the lights  
I'll put his picture down and maybe get some sleep tonight_

Without Ryan with her, the drive home was very lonely. Sharpay had the radio on the whole way, but every song reminded her of Troy. Every song she knew the words to. Once she pulled into her driveway, she flicked the radio off and took her keys out of the ignition. With a flip of her hair, Sharpay stepped out of the car and shut the door behind her.

Sharpay walked up her front steps and opened the door to her huge mansion. Ryan was asleep on the couch in their large living room, but the lights were still on. She flipped the lights off and headed up to her room, after taking her shoes off, of course.

Once she reached her bed, she smiled. She kept a picture of her and Troy on her bedside table. When they were younger, they had been best friends. The picture was of a younger Troy and a younger Sharpay sitting on a swing set together. They looked so content just being with each other. Sharpay wished things were still that way. She let a tear slip out of her eye and on to the photo. She put the picture down and automatically had an idea for a song. She rushed into the family's music room on tiptoes. Once inside the large room, she didn't have to worry about waking anyone, the walls were soundproof. Sharpay picked up a guitar and strummed a few notes. Then, she took a deep breath and began singing...

"_'cause he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar  
the only one thats got enough of me to break my heart  
he's the song in the car  
I keep singing  
don't know why I do_

He's the time taken up   
but theres never enough  
and hes all that I need to fall into...

Drew looks at me,  
I fake a smile so he wont see..."

Sharpay finished the beginning of her song and scribbled down the lyrics on a sheet of paper. She knew it'd be better to change Troy's name in the song so that it wouldn't be so obvious that he was the one she was singing about. After writing down the words, Sharpay played a melody on her guitar, while letting tears fall down her face. "Teardrops on my guitar..." she whispered softly to herself. And so a song was born...

**A/N: Okay. So. Another one shot finished. : ). Okay, here's a bribe for y'all to review. Everyone who has reviewed a chapter by the time this story is finished, will get a special reward. They can pick a song that they think would make a good one shot. I will then, using the chosen songs, make another story like this, but with each song picked. So it will be a mixture of artists and such. So, again, that's only for my reviewers. You all rock! Oh, and that won't be until the very last chapter so, for now, just keep being good people and reviewing. Well, that was the longest author's note I've ever written. : ). Toodles.**


	4. A Place in This World

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks to my reviews. Yeah, I'm still disappointed at the number of reviews, but it's okay. Cause it could be worse! So this story is going to be in Sharpay's point of view. It's kinda obvious, but I felt like I should tell you, in case you hate Sharpay. : )**

A Place In This World

_I don't know what I want, so don't ask me  
Cause I'm still trying to figure it out  
Don't know what's down this road, I'm just walking  
Trying to see through the rain coming down  
Even though I'm not the only one  
Who feels the way I do_

**I'm so confused.**

Have I ever been so confused in my whole life? I'm not sure. It's not like I asked to be an ice queen. It started as a few basketball jerks making fun of how much of a girly girl I was, then it escalated. A lot. Now everyone thinks I'm an evil she-witch with no feelings.

**That's a load of crap.**

At first, I didn't know where I was headed. I was just walking. Just a small girl in a huge universe. I'm still just trying to live life without these nicknames getting to me.

**It's harder than it may seem.**

As the rain falls down my window and thunder crashes in the distance, I can't help but realize how much thunderstorms are like me. They start out in a peaceful drizzle, then end up loud. That's how my life went. Once upon a time, I was a perfect little angel child. I played with my brother and neighbors and didn't get in many fights. When I entered high school, everything changed. Troy Bolton had been my best friend. He ditched me to play basketball. He then got influenced by his stupid friends and began to call me names. That's how I got here.

**That's why I'm loud and dangerous. Just like thunderstorms.**

I can't be the only one in the world who feels this way. Maybe someone else feels this way too. Maybe I should find someone with the same problems as me. Maybe then I could find a friend.

**Maybe it'd make me feel better.**

_I'm alone, on my own, and that's all I know  
I'll be strong, I'll be wrong, oh but life goes on  
Oh, I'm just a girl,_

_Trying to find a place in this world_

**I wish I wasn't so alone.**

If only someone cared enough to see the real me. To try and look past my icy exterior. I do have feelings. If only people knew that. I guess all I can do is wish. There's not much I can do.

**I've tried everything.**

_Got the radio on, my old blue jeans  
And I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve  
Feeling lucky today, got the sunshine  
Could you tell me what more do I need  
And tomorrow's just a mystery, oh yeah  
But that's okay_

I love the radio. Music is the only thing I can use to escape. It seems to be the only thing that knows my true feelings.

**If my classmates could only see me now.**

If anyone saw me at this very moment, they probably wouldn't be able to believe what they saw. Blue jeans and a large t-shirt on Sharpay? No makeup? Tear stained cheeks? Hard to believe if you had ever only seen the ice side of me.

**I want someone to care.**

If someone came banging on my door right now, I'd let them in. Just to see if they'd care. If they cared, I'd trust them with everything I had. I guess you could say I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve. I just want to be lucky for once in my life. Yeah, I have a mansion, but that's not what life is about. It's about friends. And family. And just living life happily.

**I'm everything _but_ happy right about now.**

Every day is a mystery in my life. Who knows what fights I'll get in? Who knows how much my heart will get broken? Right about now, I'm pretty torn up. But it's okay, I guess. I do have Ryan, but your brother can only matter so much. It's not that I don't love him and everything he's done for me, but I just wish to have a friend who wasn't _forced_ to love me. Who wasn't part of my family.

_I'm alone, on my own, and that's all I know  
I'll be strong, I'll be wrong, oh but life goes on  
Oh, I'm just a girl, trying to find a place in  
This world  
Maybe I'm just a girl on a mission  
But I'm ready to fly_

**I'm ready.**

I'm ready to stop caring about what others think. I'm going to hold my head high and smile. Maybe try being nice. You just don't know how hard it is when everything people say is killing you. I bet you never thought you'd hear Sharpay Evans say this but;

**I'm done with this crap.**

_I'm alone, on my own, and that's all I know, oh  
I'll be strong, I'll be wrong, oh but life goes on  
Oh, I'm alone on my own, and that's all I know  
Oh, I'm just a girl, trying to find a place in this world  
Oh, I'm just a girl  
Oh, I'm just a girl, oh, oh yeah  
Oh, I'm just a girl_

I'm going to be myself. Even if that's not what everyone else wants me to do. I'll be strong. Not let anyone get to me anymore. All this might be wrong, but, I guess, _life goes on_.

**Maybe I'll finally have a place in this world.**

**A/N: Okay. So, I hated this one. But, that's okay. I know it's not my best, so you can flame if you'd like. I know I say this a lot, but that's because It's true. 2 reviews per chapter is not acceptable. And it makes me upset. So _please _review! Thanks. : )**


	5. Cold As You

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to all of the AWESOME people who reviewed. Thanks to everyone! This update is coming so quickly because of y'all. : )**

Cold As You

_You have a way of coming easily to me  
And when you take, you take the very best of me_

Troy Bolton, you make my life so confusing. I thought we were in love. I gave you everything I had, trying to make you love me more with every breath I took. I guess it never worked. Did you even care at all? I thought you did. People are always mistaken.

_So I start a fight cause I need to feel something  
And you do what you want cause I'm not what you wanted_

**FLASHBACK**

"I don't know what I feel anymore," Gabriella said to Troy.

"Well I do!" Troy said, cupping her head in his hands. Gabriella pushed him away.

"No you don't, Troy! You don't love me!" Gabriella yelled, tears rolling down her face.

"You don't love me either, so why does it matter?" Troy yelled back.

"I didn't say that! I just don't know anymore!" With that, Gabriella collapsed on the ground, finally feeling something.

**END FLASHBACK**

Apparently I was never what you wanted, Troy. You cared more about basketball than me. You always did. So do what you want with your life now that I'm out of it. It doesn't matter anymore.

_Oh what a shame, what a rainy ending given to a perfect day  
Just walk away, ain't no use defending words that you will never say  
And now that I'm sitting here thinking it through  
I've never been anywhere cold as you  
_

I'll probably never forget our first fight.

**FLASHBACK**

Gabriella and Troy sat in their special hideout on top of the school. The sun was shining out and the day seemed perfect.

"Troy, do you love basketball?" Gabriella asked.

"Of course,' he replied.

"Oh."

"Why?"

"So then you don't love me?" Gabriella asked, moving away from him on the bench.

"That's not what---" Gabriella cut him off.

"Forget it, Troy. There's no use defending words you'll never say." Gabriella stood up and stomped away.

**END FLASHBACK**

It's always been like that. You always loved basketball more than me. I guess sitting here, writing my thoughts in a note, I've realized I've never been anywhere as cold as you.

_You put up walls and paint them all a shade of gray  
And I stood there loving you and wished them all away_

_And you come away with a great little story  
Of a mess of a dreamer with the nerve to adore you _

I should have noticed the walls you put up. I thought you put them up to find out if I had enough love to break them down. So I loved you with everything I had and got nothing in return. I guess I was just a dreamer who wanted prince charming and I got prince loser. So now you have a story to tell your basketball buddies about another girl who adored you more than anyone else and how you pushed her away. It won't have a fairytale ending, that's for sure.

_Oh what a shame, what a rainy ending given to a perfect day  
So just walk away, ain't no use defending words that you will never say  
And now that I'm sitting here thinking it through  
I've never been anywhere cold as you_

None of my days with you turned out perfect. We never shared cute goodnight kisses or secretly held hands in school hallways. Every fight we had, you apologized, but it was never sincere. Always cold. Around me, it was like you were a boy version of Sharpay.

_You never did give a damn thing honey but I cried, cried for you  
And I know you wouldn't have told nobody if I died, died for you, died for you_

I cried for you. So many tears wasted on thoughts of us and how we used to be. I would've died for you. I think you know that. But would you have told anyone or would you pretend it was an accident? Every night I sit in bed and wonder if you cared about me at all. Did you? Or was it all a game?

_Oh what a shame, what a rainy ending given to a perfect day  
Every smile you fake is so condescending  
Counting all the scars you made  
And now that I'm sitting here thinking it through  
I've never been anywhere cold as you_

I see you in the school hallways every day. Always smiling. Is it fake? You never look my way anymore. But I still watch you. I see the cheerleaders obsess over you and get more and more rips in my heart every day. Maybe I was just a fool in loving someone as cold as you.

**A/N: Another one-shot finished! Now, I'm aiming high for the number of reviews so, remember, the more reviews, the quicker the update. : ). Although, I have camp this week, so the update won't be until at least Saturday. But, review, please!! X3**


	6. The Outside

**A/N: It's me! I'm soooo sorry about the slow updates! I'm going through so much.. stuff with school and friends and drama and... god. Being a teenager just sucks. Anyway. Here's chapter 6 for you!**

The Outside

_I didn't know what I would find  
When I went looking for a reason, I know  
I didn't read between the lines  
And, baby, I've got nowhere to go  
I tried to take the road less traveled by  
But nothing seems to work the first few times  
Am I right?_

**I hate life.**

Now, don't think I'm emo or anything stupid like that. Oh, no. If anything, I'm quite the opposite. Besides, I used to love life. I'm not quite sure what happened myself. It started within the first week of high school. I decided to try out for the play, since I knew it'd look good on my college application. Well, my best friend, Troy, made fun of me. And it wasn't like, "Oh my god, you're so stupid, never talk to me again" teasing, he was just kidding. Like friends do. But _his _new friends (who I never liked) took him seriously and they started teasing me too. Saying I was a drama queen. Stupid. I was just a stuck up princess. That's when everything fell apart. Troy and I drifted apart and not after too long, I became the whole school's "ice queen". I just wanted to participate in an extra-curricular activity, take the road less traveled by... but nope. Apparently nothing works the first time. Too bad I'll never get a chance to re-do that.

_So how can I ever try to be better?  
Nobody ever lets me in  
I can still see you, this ain't the best view  
On the outside looking in  
I've been a lot of lonely places  
I've never been on the outside_

I want to be better than just another ice bitch, but no one wants to hear my side of the story. No one cares enough to just listen to what I have to say. Sure, I still see Troy in the hallways and stuff, but we never talk like we used to. In fact, ever since that new girl came into his life, he might actually _hate_ me. Trust me, it's not exactly the best view.

_You saw me there, but never knew  
I would give it all up to be  
A part of this, a part of you  
And now it's all too late so you see  
You could've helped if you had wanted to  
But no one notices until it's too  
Late to do anything_

I actually liked Troy. More than a friend. And high school was supposed to be the year when I told him. That never worked out. Now I totally missed my chance because, as I said above, he hates me. He could've stopped his friends from saying all that stuff about me. I guess he never cared that much about me in the first place. Maybe he just thought they were kidding around like he was. Even if he realizes that now, it's a little too late.

_So how can I ever try to be better?  
Nobody ever lets me in  
I can still see you, this ain't the best view  
On the outside looking in  
I've been a lot of lonely places  
I've never been on the outside_

High school has been so different for me. I had never been a part of any clique. I just pretty much hung out with anyone I wanted to. Stupid high school changed everything. Now I'm completely shunned by everyone. I guess you could say I'm living life on the outside. If people even choose to notice me it's because they're too scared to get in my way. I don't know what I did to make everyone think I was someone to be afraid of. It was probably another rumor Troy and his basketball friends made up. Well, it stuck. And I have a strange feeling it will forever, since nobody chooses to let me in. Maybe I don't hate life.

**Maybe life just hates me.**

**A/N: Like it? Hate it? Want to tell me something I could do better? Drop a review: D**


	7. Stay Beautiful

**A/N: Here's the next one shot. Sorry it took so long, but I haven't been getting as many reviews as I'd like. Thanks to everyone who _did_ review, though. I really appreciate it! (And, if you can't tell, this is written in Gabriella's POV. Oh. And I know its not the next song on her CD, but I wanted to write this one. xD. "Tied Together..." will come next.)**

Stay Beautiful

_Cory's eyes are like a jungle  
He smiles, it's like the radio_

Troy Bolton.

How do you even describe such an incredible human being?

His eyes; they're beautiful. Those gorgeous blues hold so many feelings, you can literally see right through to his soul. I've always told him that he can't lie to me, because his eyes say anything. If I had to compare them to anything, it'd be a jungle. A jungle of emotions.

His smile. Oh god, that smile. It's amazing. He doesn't even has to say anything to me, all he has to do is smile and, like my favorite song on the radio, it brightens my whole day. I'm not sure I'd be able to live without it.

_He whispers songs into my window  
In words nobody knows_

He loves me.

It's hard to believe sometimes.

I'm just an ordinary girl. Straight As, an okay voice, and I have Troy Bolton. Who knew? He's been on my balcony so many times. Sharing songs under the moonlight is our favorite thing to do. No one understand why, sometimes even the songs we sing are unknown, but we get it. And that's all that matters.

_There's pretty girls on every corner  
That watch him as he's walking home  
Saying, does he know  
Will you ever know_

Those cheerleaders.

They all love Troy.

They're jealous of me. It's unimaginable, yes, but they are. We walk by them after school on our way home and hear them whispering. They think I can't hear what they're saying, about Troy being amazing, and if he'll ever know they adore him, that they deserve them, and not me. But they're wrong. They all are. Because he loves me. And he wouldn't ever leave.

_You're beautiful  
Every little piece love, don't you know  
You're really gonna be someone, ask anyone  
When you find everything you looked for  
I hope your life leads you back to my door  
Oh but if it don't, stay beautiful_

Troy's just...

He's beautiful.

Most of the time, I'm against calling guys beautiful, but I'm not sure there's any other way to describe this one. Every single part of him, I love. His kiss, his touch, I can't get enough. I can tell he's going to be everything he wants to in life. He can, because he dreams. And as long as he's happy, I am... I guess.

_Cory finds another way to be  
The highlight of my day_

I love him.

I love him as much as he loves me.

He's done some of the sweetest things for me. One example was my 15th birthday...

**FLASHBACK**

"Tay, Troy's been ignoring me all day," Gabriella whined, walking home from school with her best friend, Taylor.

"I'm sure he has a good reason," she replied, careful not to upset her friend on such an important day.

"I guess..." Gabriella said, voice trailing off as they arrived at her doorstep. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Have an awesome birthday," Taylor said and waved goodbye as she disappeared into the distance.

Gabriella heaved a sigh as she opened her door.

"Hey sweetie, how was school?" he mom asked, cheerfully.

"Fine," Gabriella replied. She should've been more excited on her birthday, but her boy friend was ignoring her. That was bad enough to make her day horrible. "I'm gonna do some homework." Ms. Montez nodded and Gabriella ran up to her room. She paused in her open doorway. Troy was seated on her bed, assorted flower petal scattered around the room. A small velvet box was hiding in his palm, but Gabriella was too stunned to notice anyway.

"Happy birthday Brie," he said softly, taking a few steps towards her.

"Troy! This _has_ to be the highlight of my day," she said, happily flinging her arms around his neck.

**END FLASHBACK**

_I'm taking pictures in my mind  
So I can save them for a rainy day_

Some say I have a photographic memory.

I'm not so sure.

The only things I can remember are things Troy's done... and math. Ask me whet he got me for my 14th birthday, I can tell you every last detail. About the surprise party, about my fist kiss, everything. I just never want to forget anything he's done for me. Every time we have a fight, I remember the good times we had. I guess he does too, cause then he magically appears at my balcony. It's like we have telepathy.

_It's hard to make conversation  
When he's taking my breath away  
I should say, hey by the way_

Another reason why he's amazing?

He _always_ takes my breath away.

When we kiss, when we touch... It's all so amazing. Sometimes it's hard just to have a conversation with him because I can't speak. Around him, there's always butterflies in my stomach and a lump in my throat because I know that the slightest mistake might make him walk away for good.

_You're beautiful  
Every little piece love, don't you know  
You're really gonna be someone, ask anyone  
When you find everything you looked for  
I hope your life leads you back to my door  
Oh but if it don't, stay beautiful_

I hate things.

Things that separate me from him.

Like college. We're gong to different ones this year. Our first time away from each other. I can't even stand the thought of it. Not to mention, this is our last night we can spend together and he's stuck putting finishing touches on his packing for school. But as long as he's happy, so am I. He'll find everything he looks for some day and maybe then he'll end up at my front door again. But if it doesn't, it's okay. Because if he's glad with his life, I am too

_If you and I are a story  
That never gets told  
If what you are is a daydream  
I'll never get to hold, at least you'll know_

We really do live a fairytale.

Although I'm not sure we'll get our Disney-perfect ending.

I hope we will, though. But if our story never gets told, it'll be okay because we'll know the words by heart and that's all that matters. Maybe he'll turn into just another one of my daydreams. But at least he'll know how I feel about him. For tonight, though, here I am standing on _his_ balcony, waiting for _him_ to notice _me_ here. Oh god. He did. He's walking over here. The sliding doors are opening. It's now or never, Gabriella.

"_You're beautiful  
Every little piece love, don't you know  
You're really gonna be someone, ask anyone  
When you find everything you looked for  
I hope your life leads you back to my door  
Oh but if it don't, stay beautiful"_

And here I am in his arms again. For the last time.

**A/N: I was actually fairly happy with this chapter. If you were too, let me know in a review! **


	8. Tied Together With a Smile

**A/N: I have to say, I'm disappointed in my number of reviews. It's not that hard to hit a small button, people! Okay. Rant over. Here's one shot number 8, told in Ryan's POV...**

Tied Together With a Smile

_Seems the only one who doesn't see your beauty  
Is the face in the mirror looking back at you  
You walk around here thinking you're not pretty  
But that's not true, cause I know you..._

Sharpay Evans is my twin sister. I love her more than anything in the world... If only she could love herself as much as I do.

Every night, she sits on her balcony and stares peacefully out into the open night sky. I know, because we used to talk out there all the time. We don't anymore. I'm not sure what happened, but Sharpay just started to shy away from everyone she loved.

I can hear her in the bathroom in the morning. She looks in the mirror and can't understand what she sees. It's something new she hates about herself every day.

All the boys in school are crazy about her, why can't she see that? Every day she walks the halls quietly, no one but me by her side. You can tell she's not crazy about how she looks, but she holds her head high. Well, she tries, anyway.

It's not true that she thinks of herself. I know her. The old Sharpay. Who loved everything and everyone. I know that Sharpay is still somewhere inside of her. Somewhere waiting to come out.

_Hold on, baby, you're losing it  
The water's high, you're jumping into it  
And letting go... and no one knows  
That you cry, but you don't tell anyone  
That you might not be the golden one  
And you're tied together with a smile  
But you're coming undone_

I can tell that she's thought of suicide. More than once, actually. She acts like her life has nothing left in it, oh, but she's wrong.

How do I know she's suicidal? I caught her. I caught her with those scarlet marks down her wrist. But I couldn't say anything, and neither could she. That's the only time we've ever "talked" about it. I don't know what to say. "Sharpay, stop hurting yourself. It's not worth it."? She wouldn't believe me. She's a stubborn teenager.

_I guess it's true that love was all you wanted  
Cause you're giving it away like it's extra change  
Hoping it will end up in his pocket  
But he leaves you out like a penny in the rain  
Oh, cause it's not his price to pay  
Not his price to pay..._

She's in love. In love with the one person who doesn't love her back. Troy Bolton. It's not just teenage love, no, she really loves him. I'd say she loved him more than Gabriella, but I don't know how much his girl friend does. Sharpay constantly thinks about him. It's obvious. All of her notebooks are marked with his initials.

Troy won't even give her a chance. He thinks she's just the ice princess that everyone makes her out to be. If he could only see how much she's given up, how much work she's put into loving him... Maybe he'd love her back.

But I guess it's not really his price to pay. People are allowed to love who they want, even if it's not who they _should_. This means that Sharpay's allowed to love who she wants as well, but she chooses him. _Him_ out of all people.

_Hold on, baby, you're losing it  
The water's high, you're jumping into it  
And letting go... and no one knows  
That you cry, but you don't tell anyone  
That you might not be the golden one  
And you're tied together with a smile  
But you're coming undone_

She won't admit to anyone that she spends her nights crying alone outside. She wants people to believe she's perfect. That she has everything to live for. Even if she doesn't believe it herself.

You could say she's tied together with a smile. Each day, that fake grin is placed perfectly on her face so no one can tell the pain she's going through. Maybe no one cares to see what's wrong because they can't tell something is wrong to begin with. But I'm her brother, and I can tell. She may be tied together with a smile, but she's coming undone.

_You're tied together with a smile  
But you're coming undone... oh  
Goodbye, baby  
Goodbye, baby  
With a smile, baby, baby_

Uh-oh. She's getting up from her seat on the balcony. I better hide. She doesn't know I watch her cry alone every night and don't do anything about it. She doesn't need to think someone else doesn't care enough to find out what's wrong with her. I do care, I'm just not sure what'd I say to her. She's going into the bathroom. Well, okay. People are allowed to go to the bathroom, let's not panic, Ryan. But wait... she's walking over to the shower... Picking up a razor. As it inches closer to her tan skin, I realize I have to do something.

"Sharpay, stop."

**A/N: Well, I kinda liked this one. Except for the ending. Maybe that could be better. But that's what I think. Let me know what you do by pressing that little blue button down at the bottom of the screen. Remember, the more reviews, the faster the update. : )**


	9. Should've Said No

**A/N: Here's the next one shot for you. Hope everyone enjoys it. :D**

Should've Said No

_It's strange to think the songs we used to sing  
The smiles, the flowers, everything, is gone_

You and I were the perfect couple. Singing songs together, no matter where we were. The winter musical is one thing I'll never forget. The smiles we shared, the flowers I was given are all gone. Why did you have to go and do something so stupid? Go screw up both of our lives so horribly. Now everything we shared, everything we felt, is gone.

_Yesterday I found out about you  
Even now just looking at you, feels wrong_

I found out about what you did just yesterday. You should have known it would get back to me. After all, everything anyone says spread through this school like wildfire.

**FLASHBACK**

"Hey Taylor," Gabriella said cheerfully to her best friend.

"I'm so sorry Gabi!" she exclaimed, leaving Gabriella with a confused expression on her face.

"About what?" she asked, tiling her head.

"You haven't heard? Oh... Oh no... Never mind..." Taylor stuttered.

"No... Wait... What happened?" Gabriella asked, panicked thoughts running through her head.

"Troy cheated on you." Gabriella's face turned pale and she leaned up against her locker, making sure she wouldn't faint.

**END FLASHBACK**

I can't even look at you anymore. I just turn my head in the hallways. It hurts less that way.

_You say that you'd take it all back, given one chance  
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

When I called you last night to ask what really happened, you admitted to it. I never thought you'd do such a thing. But I guess being "Troy the Basketball Boy" you're bound to be a cheater. You said you'd take it all back, but that doesn't matter. The fact is that you did it, even though you know it'd hurt me. It was, as you said, a moment of weakness, but did you really have to say yes?

_You should've said no, you should've gone home  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me...  
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind  
I shouldn't be asking myself why  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

As I heard, it happened in the locker room. How the blond witch got in there is the least of my worries. Why didn't you simply push her away and go home? If you had thought about it, maybe things would've turned out differently. But you didn't think, did you? You just acted. I always knew you weren't that smart. I was tutoring you in almost every subject, after all.

_You can see that I've been crying  
And baby you know all the right things, to say_

When you showed up on my balcony that night, I knew you knew I'd been crying. How couldn't you notice? I'm sure I had mascara lining my cheeks. Even after crushing my trust for you, you knew exactly what to say. Your sweet words almost made me want to try being us again. I did say almost.

_But do you honestly expect me to believe  
We could ever be the same..._

But I mean, really, do you think we could ever be the same perfect couple we were before? Of course not. Now there's a barrier between us. Full of lies and distrust. Never again will we be the loving couple we were before all because of you. You and your stupid mistakes.

_You say that the past is the past, you need one chance  
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

How can you even say "that's all in the past now" when you know full well it's not? Images of you and someone else haunt my dreams every night. So, in reality, it's not in the past. You know that. It's going to follow you for the rest of the night and I'm not ready to forgive you.

_You should've said no, you should've gone home  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me...  
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind  
I shouldn't be asking myself why  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

If you really thought that I'd never find out about this, you were wrong. You should've known that things travel from mouth to mouth in this school at the speed of light. I'm shocked it took me a whole day to find out. And you didn't even have the decency to tell me yourself.

The whole time with her, you should've been thinking about me and how I'd feel when I found out. Was I even thought about at all? I don't think you cared to begin with. I shouldn't have to be asking myself why you did this. It should be obvious. You didn't care about me in the first place. Was I just another girl to use and then throw away? Gabriella Montez doesn't stand for that.

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

_I can't resist... before you go, tell me this  
Was it worth it...  
Was she worth this...  
No... no no no..._

Troy stood up at Gabriella's balcony once more. She was tempted not to open the door for him, but she had to. Otherwise he'd never leave.

"What do you want?" she asked, after angrily throwing open the doors.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Gabi. You have every right to be mad at me..." he began, but she was sick of hearing the same apology as always.

"Was she worth it?" Gabriella asked, voice shaking.

"What?" Troy replied, startled by her question.

"Sharpay. Was she worth our relationship? That one moment of pleasure. Was it worth this?" Troy was speechless. He never expected this from Gabriella. Was she really questioning his loyalty?

"I... I..." Troy stuttered, trying to think of a good answer.

"That's what I thought."

_You should've said no, you should've gone home  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me...  
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind  
I shouldn't be asking myself why  
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

"But Gabi..." She cut him off again.

"You should've said no." She slammed her glass doors shut, leaving a stunned Troy alone on her balcony, wishing he did just that. Wishing he said no.

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Personally, I like the way it turned out. By the way, review numbers have been lowered since my last few chapters. Please keep reviewing. It makes me update quicker. :D.**


	10. Mary's Song Oh My, My, My

**A/N: Some needed info; flashbacks are bold (as well are author notes), present is regular, song is italics, and Sharpay and Troy dated the month before winter break when Troy met Gabriella. This is when they're 17.**

Mary's Song (Oh My, My, My)

Sharpay and Troy sat in the blonde's bedroom, working on their science project. But Sharpay had a different idea.

"Wait… you want to make the lungs move? How do you expect to—" Troy asked, but was cut off with Sharpay who had a different question.

"Do you remember when we were little?" she questioned, then tilted her head to the side, awaiting his answer. Ever since he had broken up with Gabriella, she wondered if he had any feelings for the drama queen herself.

"Yeah," Troy answered softly, still pondering the moments they've shared, "I do."

_She said, I was seven and you were nine  
I looked at you like the stars that shined  
In the sky, the pretty lights  
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us  
Growing up and falling in love and our mamas smiled  
And rolled their eyes and said oh my my my_

**A small girl, short for her age, sat on the swing set, a brunette male stood behind her, pushing her so she could "touch the sky".**

"**Higher Troyyyy!" The blonde called to her best friend. He hesitantly pushed the swing harder.**

"**I don't want you to fall, Pay," he explained, causing Sharpay to pause the swing and swivel around so she was gazing into the young boy's eyes.**

"**I won't. I promise. And if I do, you'll catch me, right?" she asked, admiration twinkling in her light brown eyes, the same way they did when she looked up at the glowing stars in the night sky.**

"**Of course," he swore, turning her back around, and continuing to push on the swing, each time the seven year old got a little higher. A little closer to touching the sky.**

**Neither of the joyful children noticed their parents on the deck, watching the two playing like best friends. The fathers were joking about how the two were sure to fall in love someday and the mothers simply shook their heads as if they knew it all.**

_Take me back to the house in the backyard tree  
Said you'd beat me up, you were bigger than me  
You never did, you never did_

**Young Sharpay and Troy sat up in a tree fort that the boy had recently built with his father in the backyard. Sharpay watched intensely as Troy bounced his new basketball on the wooden floor. Suddenly, she grabbed the ball from him and giggled as he attempted to steal the orange circle back from her.**

"**Come on, Pay! Give it baaack!" he whined as she continued to hide the ball from his grasp.**

"**No way!" she screamed with glee as she continued to run around the large room, carrying the big ball with both hands, careful not to drop it.**

"**I'll beat you up!" Troy threatened, finally gaining a grasp on the small girl's waist. She stopped suddenly, almost causing Troy to trip, but also allowing him to get his basketball back.**

"**Would you really?" she asked, bottom lip quivering. Troy saw her watery eyes and immediately ran to her side.**

"**No, no, no…" he said worriedly, Troy hated seeing girl's cry. "Here. You can use it." He handed the round orange ball back to Sharpay and she smiled, automatically his best friend again.**_  
_

_Take me back when our world was one block wide  
I dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried  
Just two kids, you and I...  
Oh my my my my_

**A few months later, the pair sat in Troy's living room, Sharpay on the floor and troy on a chair. They had just come back from school, and were both just sitting there, each trying to come up with something to do. Then, the female got an idea.**

"**Let's play truth or dare!" Sharpay exclaimed, giddily. Troy rolled his eyes.**

"**Oh come on, pay. That's a girl's game," he complained but one look at Sharpay with her bottom lip sticking out and brown eyes wide, he knew he had to give in. "Fine. Two rounds. Nothing more!" Sharpay clapped happily.**

"**You start," she said, crossing her legs and looking up at him intently.**

"**Um... okay. Shar, truth or dare?"**

"**Truth."**

"**Okay… Uh… Do you still play with Barbies?" he asked, with lack of a better question.**

"**Oh please, Troy. You couldn't come up with anything better?" The male grinned and shook his head, as he watched her face turn a shade of pink. "Yes. I do. Happy now?" Troy hid his laugh.**

"**I am, actually," he answered. "Your turn."**

"**Truth or dare?"**

"**Dare," he said, daringly.**

"**I dare you to kiss me!" she exclaimed.**

"**I can't do that!" he protested.**

"**It's the rules. You haave to."**

"**Fine," Troy said. But as he bent down to reach the little girl, she stood up and ran away.**

"**First you have to catch me!" she teased, running around the room.**

"**That's not a rule!" he whined, but jogged after her anyway.**

_I was sixteen when suddenly  
I wasn't that little girl you used to see  
But your eyes still shined like pretty lights  
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us  
They never believed we'd really fall in love  
And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes  
And said oh my my my..._

**Sharpay Evans stood at the head of a table, birthday cake in front of her bearing 16 candles. It was the day of her sixteenth birthday and she was spending it was a few of her closest friends. (Ryan had had his party the day before.)**

**There was no other way she would've wanted this special day. Her in new clothes, her best friend standing next to her, the glowing flame of the fiery candles shining in his bright blue eyes. Somehow, his voice singing "Happy birthday" to her, stood out above everyone else's.**

_**Troy looks amazing today…**_** she thought to herself, before coming to the realization that he was just her friend and nothing more. Little did she know, he was having the same thoughts.**

**After the party, Sharpay waved goodbye to all of her guests, except one. Troy had decided to stay later to help clean up. The birthday girl had protested, but her friend insisted. After all, he had something to ask her.**

**When they had finished cleaning, the pair sat on a large swing in Sharpay's backyard. As soon as they hit their teenage years, the padded sing became their favorite place to hang out.**

"**You know, Shar… You're not the little girl you used to be," Troy said, their fingers entwined, without either of them realizing this fact.**

**After pondering his statement for a moment, Sharpay became curious. "Is that a good thing?"**

**Troy chuckled. "Of course. You went from being a pretty little girl to a beautiful teenager." Sharpay blushed slightly, causing troy to smile. "And so I just wanted to ask… Will you be my girl friend?" Sharpay's eyes locked with his and she nodded, speechless.**

**Once she found the right words, she spoke. "You don't realize how long I've waited for you to ask." With that, their lips captured in a kiss.**

**During this, their parents had been watching from inside. The dads watched wordlessly, their old jokes turning into reality and the moms grinned at each other wordlessly, knowing that this would've happened all along.**

_Take me back to the creek beds we turned up  
Two A.M. riding in your truck and all I need is you next to me_

**A teenage couple sat in the boy's pick-up truck as it rolled along a dirt road, splashing through mud and bumping along into holes and over sticks. The female's arms were wrapped around herself as it was early winter and, even in the truck, she was cold. It was a trait of hers. Evans girls tended to freeze easily.**

"**You cold, Pay?" the brunette asked, noticing his girl friend shivering slightly beneath his basketball sweatshirt that he had loaned her.**

"**Uhm… nope," she lied, faking a smile.**

"**I know you are. Don't lie to me," he said, causing Sharpay to smile. Troy stopped the truck after pulling over to the side of the road, near a creek and moved over to wrap his arms around her.**

"**I'm not anymore," she whispered. "With you here, everything's okay. All I need is you next to me." His spine tingled as she spoke softly in his ear and she smiled. The perfect moment. This was all they needed.**

_Take me back to the time we had our very first fight  
The slamming of doors instead of kissing goodnight  
You stayed outside 'til the morning light  
Oh my my my my_

"**Wanna go out tomorrow?" Troy grinned, taking his girl friend's hand in his own.**

"**I… can't," Sharpay said softly. Her free hand lingered over the doorknob to her house and she bit lightly on her bottom lip. This was the fourth time she had had to blow off another one of their dates. "I have—"**

"**Let me guess," Troy said, dropping her cold hand. This made Sharpay scared. "Another thing that has to do with musicals? Pay, you've been going to practice almost every day of the week. Can't you make time for me? For us?"**

"**I wish I could. But you don't get it, Troy! This is my chance. I need this to—"**

"**Save it, Sharpay. All you ever care about is yourself. Do you ever think about how many basketball practices I've missed to spend time with you? Maybe, unlike you, our relationship means something to me." Sharpay's mouth opened, but no words came out. After seeing that Sharpay was too weak to defend herself, Troy simply shook his head and walked away. The female ran into her house and slammed to door behind her.**

**Up in her room, Sharpay was too busy crying to notice that Troy's truck was still parked in her driveway, the boy's head on the steering wheel.**

**- - -**

**Early in the morning, Sharpay work up, mascara lines down her cheeks, and walked over to her window to peek at the sunlight outside. What she found shocked her. Troy stood under her window, rock in hand, obviously debating whether to toss it at her glass window or not.**

"**Troy," she called after opening the windowpane. "Good morning." He looked up at her and half smiled.**

"**Come down here before we wake your house up," he yelled back, quietly as he could. Sharpay grinned and tiptoed downstairs dressed in troy's basketball jersey (she knew it smelled like him), white sweatpants, and red slippers.**

**As soon as she stepped outside, Troy gathered her in his arms and stroked her hair. "I'm so sorry, Pay. So sorry…" he whispered, as Sharpay wrapped her arms around him as well.**

"**Me too," she said quietly. "Me too…"**

_A few years had gone and come around  
We were sitting at our favorite spot in town  
And you looked at me, got down on one knee_

"I miss us," Sharpay stated after a moment of silence when she was wringing her hands together and Troy was tapping his foot on the ground. This caused the male to freeze. He didn't know what to say. He missed her to but… Was it right?

"Me too," he said quietly. And he meant it as he kissed her with as much passion as he had left in him.

- - -

**About a year later…**

Sharpay and Troy sat on the swing in her back yard for the last time before they headed off to college, fingers entwined, Sharpay's head on her boy friend's shoulder.

"I don't want to ever leave you," she whispered, more than scared of leaving Troy. They were going to separate colleges, and both pretended to be happy for the other, but were actually upset.

Troy fingered the velvet box in his pocket. It was time. Perfect. "Pay… There's something I want to ask you…" He escaped her arms, much to both of their dismay, and knelt before his girl friend. When he showed her the opened box with a simple silver ring with a heart in the middle, she almost cried. All she could do was mutter one single word.

"Yes."

_Take me back to the time when we walked down the aisle  
Our whole town came and our mamas cried  
You said I do and I did too_

A summer wedding. It's what Sharpay always imagined it to be. Outside in the warm sun, petals lining the aisle, a flowing white gown… And the one person she'd always wanted to spend it with standing at the altar, staring at her with bright blue eyes, lips begging to be kissed.

The rest of the ceremony went by in the blink of an eyes. It seemed as if the whole town was there; and it pretty much was. Everyone had known the twosome from their younger days and all the trouble they had caused. Sharpay was vaguely aware that her family was crying, as was Troy's. And when they exchanged vows, it was like another thing was bonding them together. Something else that separated them from everyone else.

They were married. And not because their parents wanted them to, or because it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. No peer pressure was involved, just love. And no one could take that from them.

_Take me home where we met so many years before  
We'll rock our babies on that very front porch  
After all this time, you and I_

I'll be eighty-seven; you'll be eighty-nine  
I'll still look at you like the stars that shine  
In the sky, oh my my my...

An elderly couple sat on their clean white front porch, children inside.

"It seems like Emily and Mitchel grew up so fast," the wife said, a sad sigh following her words. The male stood up and walked over to his love and brought her into a hug.

"They did, Pay, Honey," he explained. "But it's okay. Because we'll always have each other. And we'll never change." Sharpay pulled away from her husband long enough to look into his blue eyes. Then is when she knew. Their love would never die. It was special that way.

**A/n: What'd you think? I thought it was pretty cute, actually : ). Any thoughts? Suggestions for **_**Our Song**_**? Just want to tell me it was a good/bad chapter? Drop a review!**


	11. Our Song

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. The drama in my life had made everything hectic. :/ Ah well. This chapter has flashbacks like the last one, so those will be bold again and obviously song lyrics are italic and normal is present. Hope you enjoy. Oh, and it's Troyella. Don't like? Don't read.**

Our Song

_I was riding shot gun  
with my hair undone  
in the front seat of his car  
he's got a one hand feel  
on the steering wheel  
the other on my heart_

_I looked around  
turned the radio down  
he said baby, is something wrong?  
I say nothing I was just thinking  
how we don't have a song  
and he said_

"Be good to meeeee." A brunette teenage boy sang loudly to the song blasting through his car speakers, simply to annoy his girl friend.

"Please, Troy. I know you can sing, so why must you pretend you can't?" the female beside him asked.

"You know I love annoying you, Brie. I have to." He smirked and took his eyes off the road for a split second, turning them towards his passenger who held a pen in her hand and was tapping it against her chin thoughtfully. He then turned back to the winding road in front of him just as Gabriella turned down the radio.

"What's wrong?" he asked, startled at the absence of music.

"I was just thinking, why don't we have a song?"

"A song?" he asked, one raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. So I was going to write one for the talent show," she explained, continuing to tap the pen against her chin.

"Why?" he asked. "Everything we've been through is like our own little song." Gabriella thought about her boy friend's words and realized he was probably right…

_Our song is the slamming screen door  
Sneaking out late  
Tapping on your window  
When we're on the phone  
And you talk real slow  
Cause its late and your momma don't know  
Our song is the way you laugh  
The first date man  
I didn't kiss her and I should have  
And when I got home_

_Before I said amen  
Asking god if he  
Could play it again_

**A 15 year old Gabriella Montez sat on her bed, head in her hands, wondering why she couldn't get this social studies homework. She was good at math, science, language arts… but no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't understand history, even at 10 o'clock at night.**

"**Uggh!" Gabriella cried out in frustration, just as a light tapping sound was heard coming from her balcony doors. She lifted her head from the book in front of her and grinned, seeing her boy friend standing at the French doors leading to the outside. She happily jumped out of her bed and ran over to the other side of her room, flinging the doors open.**

"**Trouble with history again?" Troy asked, grin on his face. Gabriella giggled.**

"**Maybe," she teased, placing a small kiss on his lips. "So why are you here?"**

"**I sensed that you were having homework trouble and I wanted to see the all too perfect Gabriella Montez struggle."**

"**Oh please," she said smiling and rolled her eyes. "The **_**real**_** reason?"**

"**I couldn't sleep," he admitted, wrapping his arms around her waist. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes briefly.**

"**Me neither," she said.**

"**Miss me too much?" Troy asked, sly smile on his face.**

"**Maybe," she said, then pulled away enough to look in his eyes. "Okay. Yeah."**

"**Same here." Gabriella sighed, simply lost in the moment, until a thought crossed her mind.**

"**Do your parents know you're here?" she asked, curiously. Troy laughed. Gabriella was always the type who followed the rules.**

"**Yeah. They appreciate me going to my girl friend's house at 10 at night. They even want me to spend the night." Gabriella gave him a wary look. "I'm kidding, Brie. I snuck out. But don't freak out. I'm going home soon. I just had to see you." Gabriella smiled and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. He kissed her and let his lips linger on hers until she softly pushed him away.**

"**You should go home before you get in trouble." Troy sighed, but nodded.**

"**Probably," he said with a shrug before giving his girl friend another hug. "I love you."**

"**Love you too." **

**As soon as Troy left, Gabriella walked back into her room and closed her balcony doors. She then lay down on her bed and fell asleep quickly, Troy's face entering her mind instead of her impossible social studies homework.**

_I was walking up the front porch steps  
After everything that day  
It gone all wrong  
I'd been trampled on  
And lost and thrown away  
Got to the hallway  
Well on my way  
To my loving bed  
I almost didn't notice  
All the roses  
And the note that said_

**Tears. Gabriella's least favorite thing, yet she sometimes had them falling from her own eyes and today was no exception. Why, you ask? She had had the worst day of her life.**

**First, in math class, she looked for her homework only to find she had left it at home, giving herself a zero for the day in that class, then her and her best friend got into a fight over nothing, and, to top it all off, the heel of her shoe broke when she was running home from school. Troy was usually her ride, but he had gone home early because he was feeling sick.**

**So, there Gabriella stood, at her front door, searching her purse for her house key. When she couldn't find it, she pounded on the door. Luckily, she had remembered at that moment, that they kept another key taped under the windowsill. She pulled out the golden key and turned the doorknob to have it, thankfully, open.**

**As soon as she was inside, she ran upstairs to her bedroom and prepared to fling herself on her bed, but paused when she said rose petals sprinkled everywhere and a crisp white envelope propped up against her pillow.**

**She wiped the tears away from her eyes, took the note out of the envelope and unfolded it. It read;**

_**Gabriella,**_

_**I know you didn't have the greatest day, so here's some roses to cheer you up. I know they're you favorite, so I left school early to buy them for you. Hope it worked and, as you're reading this, I hope you're smiling that beautiful smile that I know you posses.**_

_**Feel better, Brie. And don't forget that I'm here for you, whenever you need a shoulder to cry on.**_

_**xxx ooo,**_

_**Troy.**_

**That note alone really was all it took to get a sweet grin on Gabriella's face. The roses were all it took to make her day.**

_Our song is the slamming screen door  
Sneaking out late  
Tapping on your window  
When we're on the phone  
And you talk real slow  
Cause its late and your momma don't know  
Our song is the way you laugh  
The first date  
Man I didn't kiss her  
And I should have  
And when I got home  
Before I said amen  
Asking god if he  
Could play it again_

**Troy Bolton held his cell phone up to his ear, rings filling his head. He knew it wasn't right to call his girl friend at 11 o'clock at night, but he had to hear her voice. **

**Suddenly, a sleepy voice filled the other end of the phone. "Hello?"**

"**Brie!" Troy said happily, then lowered his voice below a whisper. "Did I wake you up?"**

"**Yeah, but it's okay," she replied, a small smile creeping on her face, then falling. "Wait, what's wrong?"**

"**Nothing, nothing," he said, a small chuckle escaping his lips. "I just had to hear your voice before I went to sleep."**

"**Troy Bolton, that is the sweetest thing I've ever heard."**

"**I know. I'm just **_**that**_** good." This caused Gabriella to giggle and Troy's heart to melt. When he didn't say anything for a few minutes, Gabriella got worried.**

"**You still there?" she asked quietly. Troy shook the memories of her sweet laugh of his head and grinned.**

"**Yeah, sorry," he whispered. "You're laugh just took my breath away." Gabriella smiled and blushed, even though Troy couldn't see her.**

"**Well thanks, but I better get going. My mom wouldn't be too happy if she found out you were calling this late." Troy chuckled. **

"**Mine either," he said softly. "Good bye, my Brie. I love you."**

"**Love you too," she replied before shutting off her cell phone. **_**My Brie,**_** she repeated to herself. **_**I like the sound of that.**_

_I've heard every album  
Listened to the radio  
Waiting for something to come along  
That was as good as our song_

"I'll tell you, there's nothing as good as our song," Troy said, breaking Gabriella out of her thoughts. She smiled softly.

"No. There is no song on any album, on any radio station that could compare to the wonderful music we've made ourselves."

_Cause our song is the slamming screen door  
Sneaking out late  
Tapping on his window  
When were on the phone  
And he talks real slow  
Cause its late and his momma don't know  
Our song is the way he laughs  
The first date man  
I didn't kiss him and I should have  
And when I got home  
Before I said amen  
Asking god if he  
Could play it again  
Play it again  
Oh yeah_

**Gabriella nervously tapped her fingers on the coffee table in her living room. Her mind was so full of worry, she didn't even hear her mom enter the room. So when the older women spoke, Gabriella was startled.**

"**Troy's here," her mom said, a grin appearing on her face. After she saw her daughter jump, she spoke again, "Oh Honey, you have nothing to worry about. You look gorgeous and he's just as nervous as you."**

**Gabriella sighed and stood up, looking down at herself. She was dressed in a simple pink baby doll top that went down to a few inches above her knees over dark skinny jeans. On her face was light pink eye shadow and glittery lip gloss. (Sharpay had been with her when she chose her outfit)**

**She nervously ran a hand through her hair and walked to the front door. She gave her new boy friend a small smile and waved good bye to her mom. "We'll be home before 7," Gabriella assured her, and closed the door behind her and Troy.**

"**So where are we off to?" she asked, curiously, as he opened the car door for her.**

"**I was thinking the normal dinner and a movie type thing, if that's okay with you."**

"**Sure is," Gabriella answered with a smile, and they were off.**

**The couple decided to see "PS I Love You" (which Gabriella cried slightly during, but Troy was there to dry her tears) and then headed off to Olive Garden, where they both decided it was probably the best food they've ever had. All in all it was a good first date, butterflies sleeping in their stomach… Until they arrived back at Gabriella's house…**

"**Soo.." the female said, awkwardly rocking back and forth on her feet.**

"**Well, I had a good time," Troy said, breaking the silence that had formed.**

"**Me too," Gabriella agreed, not sure if that meant they should kiss or if "good" was just to make her feel better… Why did first dates always have to be so complicated?**

"**Well, I better get home," Troy said. Gabriella nodded in agreement and carefully wrapped her arms around the boy in front of her. When they pulled away she sighed.**

"**Yeah so… bye…" she said. He smiled and waved and she wiggled her fingers back. Sooner than each of them wanted, Troy drove away in his truck and Gabriella walked inside, each wishing they had enough courage to kiss the other.**

_I was riding shotgun  
With my hair undone  
In the front seat of his car  
I grabbed a pen  
And an old napkin  
And I wrote down our song_

"I got it!" Gabriella exclaimed. Troy laughed slightly at her excitement and watched as she pulled a clean napkin out of his glove department. "The perfect song."

"I thought we decided we didn't have one song," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"No, no. This song is about how we don't have a song." Troy thought for a moment, then pulled into her driveway, still confused.

"Wait, what?" he asked, causing Gabriella to giggle.

"Look," she said, handing him the napkin. Troy looked over the words, smiling at each one. It described them perfectly.

"So you'll sing it with me?" she asked hopefully, seeing the grin on his face.

"Of course," he said, handing the napkin back to her. "But you might want to copy it onto real paper."

**A/N: Personally, this chapter wasn't one of my favorites. It's long, so I got kinda bored towards the end. Oh well, hope you liked it. Please drop a review. More reviews equal more updates. : )**


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